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When an alien race mistakes the cast of a 1970s sci-fi series for a real space crew, the washed-up actors (Allen, Weaver, Rickman) must fight to defend the extra-terrestrials from an evil warlord.

IS IT A GOOD MOVIE?

In the late ‘70s into the early ‘80s, Jason Nesmith played Commander/Captain Peter Quincy Taggart on the sci-fi series Galaxy Quest. Now, he’s playing the same character in convention halls to sold-out crowds, signing autographs and quoting his favorite episodes. And he’s loving every second of it.

The rest of the cast finds it humiliating. They’re sick of being typecast, sick of reciting silly catchphrases, and sick of answering questions like, “How many schnorzabings per hour does the Spaceship Ûüfortz hit when it enters the Qcuarporsian Zone?” (or something like that).

So of course it’s Nesmith (Tim Allen, who I‘m sure got sick of “grunting“ for relentless Home Improvement fans) who the Thermians, an alien race who has modeled their ship, technology, and lifestyle after the “historical document“ Galaxy Quest, select as their Chosen One to organize peace talks with Sarris, an evil reptilian humanoid bent on destroying the Thermian race. Under the assumption it’s a paying gig from some desperate fans, Nesmith agrees, ordering a missile attack on Sarris to make things interesting for viewers.

It’s not long before Nesmith and the Thermians enlist the help from the rest of the crew (cast?) of Galaxy Quest: Gwen DeMarco (Sigourney Weaver), who fanboys go gaga for (probably something to do with how her boobs fit into her suit); Alexander Dane (Alan Rickman), a trained actor who loathes his entire experience with the show; Tommy Webber (Daryl Mitchell), the young navigator of the ship; and Guy (Sam Rockwell), a redshirt with no last name and thus a doomed fate.

Galaxy Quest (the movie) is, as you’ve guessed or known, a satire on the Star Trek universe from a number of viewpoints, particularly the cast and the fanboys. Some of the funniest moments come from writers David Howard and Robert Gordon’s keen and researched observations on the distinctions and peculiarities of such a series, like when Guy cries for his life throughout the journey because, as he sees it, if he’s killed off before a commercial break on the series, how slim are his odds of survival for the real thing?

Or, the most clever bit in the movie that plays out when Gwen and Jason, in the middle of a climactic chase, stumble upon a corridor of bone-crushing metal hammers. “There’s no useful purpose for all these chompy-crushy things in the middle of a hallway! Why is this here?” Gwen asks. “Because it’s on the television show!” says Jason. Then, without missing a beat, Gwen says, “Whoever wrote this should die!”

Do you need to be a Star Trek fan to enjoy Galaxy Quest? No--I’m not. But it probably helps if you’re in on the joke.

THE EXTRAS

Historical Documents: The Story of Galaxy Quest (18:13): This retrospective piece gathers cast and crew to share their memories on the evolution of Galaxy Quest, from script to screen. Though this featurette offers a solid background on the film and fanboys, the best part is that, in addition to the crew, Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Sam Rockwell, et al. all agreed to sit down for interviews.

Never Give Up. Never Surrender: The Intrepid Crew of the NSEA Protector (23:24) mixes 1999 interviews with those shot specifically for the DVD, and focuses on the cast and their respective characters. The interviewees reflect on how the characters were developed, how they correlate with sci-fi clichés, and the actors’ approaches.

By Grabthar’s Hammer, What Amazing Effects (7:03) devotes its time to Galaxy Quest’s special effects, from the memorable creatures to recreating the cheesy look/effects of ‘70s sci-fi TV shows.

Alien School: Creating the Thermian Race (5:23) goes into how actors Missi Pyle, Rainn Wilson, and especially Enrico Colantoni developed the Thermians for the film.

Actors in Space (6:10) is a bit of a throwaway piece on the actors’ role.

Sigourney Weaver Raps (1:59) is exactly what you’d expect…and so, so much more.

Deleted Scenes: There are eight here, with all of the major characters featured. Included: the interior of Alexander’s cabin, sexual tension between Jason and Gwen, and Tommy maneuvering the ship in the midst of a scuffle between his crewmates and Sarris.

Thermian Audio Track: Anybody who can prove they sat through this “commentary,” which features the screeching vocals of the Thermians for 101 minutes, will be given a free copy of the Galaxy Quest: Deluxe Edition DVD

The Theatrical Trailer and Previews round out the disc.

FINAL DIAGNOSIS

Galaxy Quest is sort of a modern minor classic, and it gets the full treatment here on this Deluxe Edition designed to promote the film's 10th anniversary. Loaded with a bunch of new special features, this disc is definitely worth the upgrade.